Chamber's New Direction

Chamber Membership can provide great opportunities for business growth. An Association of Businesses working together to promote business is very powerful and can effect positive change.  When done properly, it not only increases business for members of the association, but also benefits both consumers and the community in general. The Chamber Board of Directors, led by President Cindy Rose from Western Petroleum, is very focused on moving the Chamber forward by creating the infrastructure necessary to allow the chamber businesses to function as an association. The Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to advancing the economic and educational growth and health of the community. The Chamber is very "Mission" driven and any activity that the chamber undertakes must meet the criteria of the "Mission" of the Chamber. 

  There are six major areas that the Chamber will be pursuing in the upcoming year to help its membership. 

  The First area of focus is for the Chamber to become the Information Hub for the Vernal Area. 
 

  The Second area of focus is for the Chamber to create valuable networking opportunities for its members to generate increased sales, contacts, and enhance business opportunities. Do businesses know that the mayors of Vernal City, Naples City and a County Commissioner actively participate on the Board of Directors? If a business wants their voice to be heard, Chamber Membership provides this opportunity. Membership is an extremely valuable networking tool. 
 

  The Third area of focus is media exposure. The Chamber is in the process of obtaining increased exposure for its members in all of the local media outlets. Advertising is expensive and this effort alone by the Chamber is worth the cost of membership. 
 

  The fourth area of focus is in the realm of intangible benefits such as goodwill, credibility, business recognition, business awards, etc. Many businesses understand the value of goodwill, and realize the importance of giving back to the community. It just makes good business sense. 
 

  The fifth area of focus is valuable programming. We live in an ever changing world with limited resources and it is very difficult for businesses to stay on top of everything. The Chamber can be a valuable information source for businesses. Working in conjunction with the Uintah School District, USU, and UBATC, the chamber will be providing training opportunities for its members. Luncheons, Business Gatherings, Seminars, Speakers and other activities give businesses a chance to refocus or see things in a new light. Businesses helping other businesses be successful by sharing tips and knowledge is very valuable.
 

  The sixth area of focus for the Chamber Staff is the new website which will allow the above areas to flourish. The Chamber has entered an agreement with Chamber Nation (a national provider of chamber management software) which is focused on creating benefits for members. The new website at www.vernalchamber.com is an exciting development that is very promising for the future of the Chamber. Through the new partnership with Chamber Nation, our local Chamber can provide an online presence for every member business free of charge. Member Businesses may have up to 1,000 pages of advertising or setup an active storefront on our website that promotes their business and sells their products. Currently E-commerce is available to our members at no additional charge. If members desire to turn their "traffic catcher" site into a full blown web site complete with a domain name, etc., then they may do so free of charge. The new Chamber website will help facilitate the above five areas of focus and will become an essential tool for businesses to communicate and coordinate their efforts. Members are able to calendar their sales promotions, special events or send newsletters to fellow members. The chamber is providing a remarkable marketing opportunity by creating a "buy local" program complete with coupon generation, mobile websites, social networking tools such as twitter and facebook integration and much more. Members will find that the Chamber has become a valuable broadcasting tool for their business.

  More information with be forthcoming in a series of informational releases that will discuss the objectives of the Board of Directors, the areas of focus, and the tools that will be utilized to meet the objectives. All of this is Great News for Member Businesses and the community!

  Ask yourself this question, "Is Chamber Membership a part of my Business Strategy?" Our goal is to make sure that you answer not only Yes, but Absolutely...I couldn't live with out it!!!